Composite structural member



Allg 3, 1937- J. D. SHERMAN ET Al. 2,089,005

COMPOSITE STRUCTURAL MMBER Filed Feb. 24, 1936 gmc/who@ Jacob D. Sher-m am Clair S. Reed Otis C ICurrie:

attoum I Patentedl Aug. 3, 1937 UNITED STATES CGMPGSITE STRUCTURAL MEMBER Jacob D. Sherman, Clair. S. Reed, and Otis C. Currie, Jackson, Mich.,r assignors to Reynolds Spring Company, Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 24, 1936, Serial No. 65,404

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in composite structural members preferably of sheet metal and fibrous strip.

An object of this invention is to provide strong, light one-piece structural members for general use as framework elements and the like in which a surface or surfaces are desired to receive fastening instrumentalities such as tacks', nails, screws, and the like.

Another object is to provide composite metal and fibre structural members of a design in which the exposed nailing and' tacking areas have been materially increased over prior structures.

A further object is to provide an improved l5 composite metal and fibrous structural member of a design in which the sheet metal constitutes in general a reinforcing interior structure for the fibrous exterior.

The uses of the present invention are unrestricted in scope and generally may be described as those to which wooden structural members have heretofore found application. One particular field of application is that of upholstered structures in which a tacking surface is required. This would include vehicle seats and bodies, furniture, box springs, etc. Other uses of the invention are found inthe field of metallic building structure in which nailing surfaces for applying the exterior and interior structure, and the like, is desirable. The invention also has application to the fabrication of frameworks of all descriptions in which strength and lightness of construction is desired and a tacking or nailing surface may or may not be required.

I-Ieretofcre, as appears from the patented art,

composite structural members have been proposed of metal and woodY or fibre of'widely varied cross-section in the furniture, vehicle, and building elds. Where wood has been used for the most part the same has been gluedl or bolted to the metal structure or encased in the metal to protect or increase the rigidity of the already relatively rigid wooden structure. Composite structures of sheet metal and fibre', such as twisted and laminated paper, are also known but their uses have been primarily limited to cushion spring frame structure and have not been of a design permitting more than a limitedA field of application.

The present invention contemplates a composite metal and fibrous structural member which is fabricated in continuous or cut lengths by rolling together a. strip of sheet metal and a fibrous strip of twistedv paper or the like. Pref- -55 erably the brous strip is preformed and sufficiently flexible to be handled from a coil or spool during the rolling operation if the crosssecticn of the strip permits and if not it is fed into the rolling machine in cut lengths. After the composite structural member has been rolled l and preferably fabricated into its final form the fibrous strip, which normally contains about 12% moisture, will dry out and become relatively hard and rigid. The important feature of the invention resides in the design of the rolled composite members in that a decided structural departure has been made from the metal encased wooden and fibrous tacking or nailing strip and in lieu thereof the metal became in general a reinforcing interior structure thus greatly increasing the exposed surface of the fibre over prior practices. Asa. result the utility and fiel-d of application of the composite structure member has been materially enhanced.

In the drawing where sev-eral embodimentsr of i the invention are illustrated:

Figs. l to 14 inclusive are broken oblique projections of several embodiments of the invention, the composite metal and fibrous members being shown in section.

Referring to the drawing in Fig. 1 the structural member I0 comprises a brous strip I2 having sections I4 and IB disposed at right angles to each other to provide exposed surfaces I8 and 20 to receive fastening instrumentalities such asi nails, tacks, screws,`etc. The strip I2 is preferably of preformed paper or other fibrous stock and may be twisted, compressed, laminate-d or otherwise suitably constructed. The moisture content of the fibrous strip is suliiciently high .during the rolling operation of the reinforcing sheet metal strip 22 to assure adequate pliability ofthe fibrous strip to enable the rolling of the longitudinal edges 24 and 2.6 of the metal strip 22 into the strip I2 and to prevent breakage due to brittleness. With the strip I2 in this pliable condition the composite structural member Ill more easily shaped to a desired form than after the fibrous strip has dried out to become hard and more rigid.

As the section of the fibrous strip I2 will prevent the same from being handled from off a roll, in most cases, Cut lengths of the strip I2 may be fed into the rolling machine together with the metal strip 22 and the latter rolled to- -conform with the contour o-f the under side of the stripy I2 and embrace theredges thereof- In this manner the metal strip 224 constitutes a reinforcement for the interior surface of theV fibre strip I2.

, 50 expanded in place.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 differs from the structural member of Fig. 1 in that the edges of the metal strip 2B after forming flanges 30 and 32 are return bent to provide projecting anges 34 and 36 to which other structural members such as bars 38 may be welded, riveted or otherwise secured. In this respect the member shown in Fig. 2 among other uses may be employed in the manner of the flanged composite metal and fibrous member disclosed in application Serial No. 53,537, filed December 9, 1935. Both the structural members shown in Figs. 1 and 2 have Y the advantage over that shown in the aforesaid application in that upon upholstering the framework the tacking surface is more available as there is more exposed surface. It should also be apparent that the iianges 34 and 36 may be Welded or riveted to supporting structure to provide a nailing oi' tacking surface at a corner, joint, edge, or the like, of a metallic framework. Another form of the invention is shown in Fig.

3 in which the fibrous strip 40 is of inverted U- shape providing exposed surfaces from three different sides. The metal strip 42 is rolled to conform to the interior Walls of the strip 30 and the edges of the strip 42 embrace the ends of the parallel sections of the strip 40 and secure the parts together in the manner of the previously described composite member. A slightly modified form of the lastI described form of the invention is shown in Fig. 4 in which a dove tail joint is provided between the fibrous strip 44 and metal strip 46 as at Q8. This construction has the advantage that the fibrous strip and metal strip are more firmly secured together and that the dove tail opening 50 may be used as an anchorage for the support of thecomposite structural member. In Fig. 5 the dove tail opening is shown receiving a fibrous strip 52 thus provision being made for a nailing or tacking surface on all four sides of the structural element.

A form of the invention is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which the entire outer surfaces of the fibrous strips 54 and 56, respectively, are exposed. These strips are tubular and receive tubular metal strips 58 and 60, respectively. Preferably the tubular fibrous strips are preformed and the metal strips Welded to form, inserted, and if desired, may be Obviously the elements of the composite structure may take innumerable shapes and forms from those shown. In Fig. 8 a further modification is illustrated in which the central portion metal strip 62 is first rolled into a tube with the longitudinal edges 64 and S6 disposed in radial parallelism. The tube may then be Welded or otherwise fastened along a longitudinal line as at 68 and the free edges rolled over in opposite directions upon the split cylindrical fibrous strip body 'IS to receive the same upon the tubular central part of the strip B2. A modication of the structure of Fig. 8 is shown in Fig. 9 in which the fibrous strip 72 is semicylindrical and is interiorly reinforced by the rolled metal strip '14. The forms of the invention shown in Figs. 6 to 9, inclusive are all characterized by the fact that maximum exposed fibrous surfaces is available for tacking and nailing purposes and the section of the metal strip is such as to give maximum strength and rigidity.

Fig. 10 illustrates a further form of the invention which is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 except the metal strip 'I6 is rolled to provide a double Walled flange 18. This flange may serve 7i the same function as the flange 38 of Fig. 2.

To enumerate a speciiic use of the structural member shown in Fig. l0, it is suitable as the bottom frame of cushion seat construction in vehicles and furniture. The upholstery can be tacked to either or both the surfaces and 82 while the flange 18 may be crimped over the coil of springs supported upon the surface 84.

In lieu of securing the fibrous metallic parts together by rolling one upon the other, the fibrous strips may be interiorly reinforced by riveting the two parts together as shown in Figs. 11 and 12. Fig. 11 shows a semi-cylindrical 4fibrous strip 86 secured in position by a tubular metal strip v83 by a rivet 90 While in Fig. 12 a right angle fibrous strip 92 is similarly secured to a metal strip 94.

Referring to Fig. 13, a reversal of the relation of the iibre vstrip 96 and metal strip 98 from that ofrFig. 2, is shown; upholstery |00 being illustrated as secured to the strip 95 by tacks |02. A sheet metal molding |03 is removably held in position by screws |04 to finish the appearance of the corner.

An exceedingly light yet rigid member is shown in Fig. 14 in which the greater portion of the surface of the fibrous strip |06 is exposed for nailing and tacking purposes and the like. The sheet metal strip |08 has been rolled to provide a stiifening rib I 0 extending inwardly from one edge of the fibrous strip |06 into the central part thereof.

The essence of the present invention is considered to reside in a composite structural member of metal and fibrous material, preferably without grain, although the use of wood is not exclusive from the scope of the invention, in which the fibrous material in general makes up the exterior surface and is in general internally reinforced by the metal. A considerable number of embodiments of the invention have been illustrated for a more clear understanding of theinvention and appreciation of its flexibility of design as to shape and form.

Having described our invention what We claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A composite structural member of the class described comprising a fibrous strip having integral sections thereof disposed at substantially to each other, the outer adjacent surfaces of said sections constituting an exposed exterior in two different planes, a sheet metal strip conforming to the inner surface of said sections to constitute a reinforcing interior, and means securingsaid strips permanently together.

2. A` composite structural member of the class described comprising an elongated fibrous strip of uniform shape and cross-section, said strip Yhaving angularly disposed sections defining out- `er faces, inner faces, and longitudinal edges, an elongated strip of sheet metal of uniform shape and cross-section secured to the inner faces of said fibrous strip in laminated relation to provide an interior. reinforcement for said fibrous strip,

at least themajor area of said outer faces being exposed and adapted to receive fastening instrumentalities on the different sides of said iibrous strip.

3. A composite structural member as defined in claim 2 wherein the longitudinal edges of said metal strip embrace said longitudinal edges of said fibrous strip.

- JACOB D. SHERMAN.

OTIS C. CURRIE. CLAIR S. REED. 

